Designing Centerpieces and Holiday Arrangements

Lesson B2?7

Designing Centerpieces and Holiday Arrangements

Unit B. Floriculture Problem Area 2. Floral Design Lesson 7. Designing Centerpieces and Holiday Arrangements New Mexico Content Standard:

Pathway Strand: Plant Systems Standard: IV: Exercise elements of design to enhance an environment (e.g., floral, forest,

landscape, farm). Benchmark: IV-A: Apply basic design elements and principles to create a design using

plants. Performance Standard: 2. Apply elements of design (e.g., line, form, texture, color). 3.

Incorporate principles of design (e.g., space, scale, proportion, order). 6. Select plant(s) for design.

Student Learning Objectives. Instruction in this lesson should result in students

achieving the following objectives: 1. Identify types of centerpieces. 2. Learn how to take a centerpiece order. 3. Describe floral arrangements for holidays.

New Mexico Horticulture Lesson Plan Library Unit B. Problem Area 2. Lesson 7. Page 1.

List of Resources. The following resources may be useful in teaching this lesson:

Recommended Resources. One of the following resources should be selected to accompany the lesson:

Biondo, Ronald J. and Dianne A. Noland. Floriculture: From Greenhouse Production to Floral Design. Danville, Illinois: Interstate Publishers, Inc., 2000.

Other Resources. The following resources will be useful to students and teachers: Griner, Charles. Floriculture: Designing & Merchandising, Second Edition. Albany, New York: Delmar Publishers, 2002.

List of Equipment, Tools, Supplies, and Facilities

Writing surface Overhead projector Transparencies from attached masters Copies of student lab sheets

Terms. The following terms are presented in this lesson (shown in bold italics):

Candle holder Conical centerpieces Cornucopia Novelty designs Paddle wire Plush animal Raffia Votive candles

Interest Approach. Use an interest approach that will prepare the students for the les-

son. Teachers often develop approaches for their unique class and student situations. A possible approach is included here. Discuss with the class which arrangements are found on tables at formal events such as proms or weddings. Identify the characteristics of this design (i.e. height, color, style etc.), leading into a discussion of centerpieces.

New Mexico Horticulture Lesson Plan Library Unit B. Problem Area 2. Lesson 7. Page 2.

Summary of Content and Teaching Strategies

Objective 1: Identify types of centerpieces.

Anticipated Problem: What are some types of centerpieces?

I. Centerpieces have been the center attraction on tables since the 18th century. Since centerpieces are viewed from all sides, they should be attractive and colorful. Traditional centerpieces are low so that conversation at the table is uninterrupted. However, contemporary arrangements, such as topiaries, add a splash of color and design above eye level. A centerpiece on a buffet table at a banquet might be one-sided and coordinated with centerpieces on the dining tables themselves.

A. Types of centerpieces include: 1. Bud vases are small arrangements suitable for placing on long rectangular tables at intervals. They typically contain one flower or three flowers, and are inexpensive to create. 2. Small vase arrangements are designed in vases in proportions of 1 to 1 so that they do not obstruct vision. They are more colorful and emphasize flowers more than bud vases. They may be asymmetrical or symmetrical in design, depending on the theme and formality of the occasion. 3. Round centerpieces are suited for round and square tables. They may be designed with one type of flower or a mixture of several varieties and colors. The container that works best is low and rounded. A round centerpiece looks basically the same when viewed from any point in a room. The contour of this arrangement may be round or triangular. 4. Oval centerpieces are similar to rounded centerpieces but are more suitable for oval or rectangular tables. Common containers for this style are rectangular, oval, or circular with a low rim. The outline and the contour of this design may be triangular or rounded. 5. Conical centerpieces are cone-shaped or three dimensional isosceles triangles. These designs date back to a period in history known as the Byzantine period. A centerpiece that looks like a Christmas tree would be conical.

B. Accessories can be added to centerpieces to create a certain atmosphere or interest. These items should be in harmony with the design, and properly placed to be effective. Candles are often used and can be stabilized using a candle holder. This plastic device is round at the top to secure the candle and pronged on the other end to fit in foam. Candle holders come in various sizes, for different sizes of candles. If using more than one, candles should be spaced at least one inch apart. Ribbon, fruit, cones, and other items might also be used as accessories in a centerpiece.

Allow students to explore various centerpiece styles. Find pictures of centerpieces in magazines; have the students create a scrapbook of centerpieces, labeling each style. TM: B2?7A will provide a guide for de-

New Mexico Horticulture Lesson Plan Library Unit B. Problem Area 2. Lesson 7. Page 3.

signing a round centerpiece. LS: B2?7A and LS: B2?7B will give students practical experience in designing two types of centerpieces.

Objective 2: Learn how to take a centerpiece order.

Anticipated Problem: What information is needed when taking a centerpiece order?

II. Gathering necessary information is extremely important in order to make decisions about the design of a centerpiece for a particular event. A. The following is a suggested checklist. 1. When is the event, date, time, and how much time is needed to set up? 2. Where is the location and what is the size of the room? 3. What is the style of the room? 4. What are the room colors, and what are the colors associated with the event or event sponsor? 5. What is the preferred style of the event (formal, informal, casual, contemporary, elegant)? 6. How many tables will need centerpieces and what are the shapes and sizes of the tables? 7. How many additional floral designs will be needed? 8. What is the budget for flowers? B. A florist should visit the site and become familiar with the surroundings prior to creating the floral work. Sometimes banquet halls and hotels have mirrors and candles that may be used, but they need to be reserved for the event in advance .

Addressing this topic is preferred in an advanced level course. After covering the information with the students, simulate an ordering situation and see if they collect all the necessary information. If time permits and you have the facilities in your area, your class might visit a banquet hall or hotel and then have the students develop designs for the room they visited. Use TM: B2?7B to reinforce the information needed when taking centerpiece orders.

Objective 3: Describe floral arrangements for holidays.

Anticipated Problem: What are some primary holidays where floral arrangements are in demand and what is appropriate for each?

III. Flowers play a large part in many holiday celebrations. A. A variety of designs might be offered by a florist and a sampling follows: 1. Valentine's Day--A dozen roses arranged in a vase with baby's breath or red and white carnations and mums in an arrangement with a plush animal or chocolates as an accessory. A plush animal is a stuffed figure, animal, or item added to an arrangement.

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2. St. Patrick's Day--Green-tinted carnations are big sellers for this holiday. It might also be beneficial to have several pots of oxalis (shamrocks) available for this Irish holiday.

3. Easter--Spiritual or whimsical arrangements are appropriate for this holiday. Both pastel colors and bright vibrant colors are appropriate at this time of year. Novelty designs, which resemble kittens, bunnies, or ice cream, for example, are popular for this holiday.

4. Mother's Day--Spring flower arrangements and corsages are traditional gifts for Mother's Day. Novelty containers emphasizing the season are popular.

5. Halloween--Arrangements in fall colors, hollowed out pumpkins, or cornucopia are ideal for Halloween. Recently, Halloween has become the fastest growing holiday for floral design.

6. Thanksgiving--Centerpieces are the major arrangements for this holiday. No table is complete for the Thanksgiving meal without a holiday centerpiece. Analogous colors of red, orange, and yellow highlight this autumn occasion. Often a cornucopia, a cone or horn shaped container containing flowers, fruits, and vegetables, is used as a Thanksgiving centerpiece. Raffia, a fibrous material made from palm trees, offers a natural ribbon appearance to fall arrangements.

7. Christmas--This is a busy season for holiday design work in both artificial and real flower arrangements. This season starts in early November when florists have open houses displaying not only arrangements, but also all kinds of holiday decorating items. Wreaths can be purchased from a wholesaler and decorated by a florist, or they can be created by a florist. Christmas centerpieces are often accented with votive candles, short stocky candles placed in holders around an arrangement.

Wreath construction is not difficult, but it takes time and patience. Horticulture students may use a wire coat hanger or a paddle wire, a piece of wood with wire wrapped around it, to create this holiday piece. The hanger is bent into a round shape. Do not untie the hanger but bend it into the desired shape. Use the hook already formed as the mechanism for hanging the wreath. The hanger should be wrapped in paddle wire at ? inch intervals; which will create friction between the pine branches and the hanger and hold the wreath together.

One good idea to use in teaching this objective is to assign a holiday to a student and have the student develop a list of arrangements he or she would consider making for that holiday. If time and budgets allow, have them create one of their ideas. Teachers might conduct sales for arrangement needs during the various holiday seasons. Display TM: B2?7C and TM: B2?7D to help reinforce the different types of arrangements used for various holidays.

Review/Summary. Centerpieces have been a mainstay in the floral industry since the

18th century. Today, any time one entertains guests, a centerpiece seems to be a must for completing the table. Students should understand the variety of centerpieces that can be created. When taking orders for centerpieces, it is important to gather all the necessary information that was dis-

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